Shelling machine



B. H. ROBERTS SHELLING MACHINE Oct. 13', 1931.

Filed Sent. 6, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l M m. E m m K 5 w K ha Oct. 13, 1-931.

B. H. ROBERTS SHELLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 6, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 13, 1931. B. H. ROBERTS SHELLING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 6, 1929 Patented Oct. 13, 1931 "UNIT-EU STATES PATENT goFF-1for.fj

I nENiiInr. ROBERTS. oF oonDELn, GEORGIA sHnLLINe-MACHINE Application ledseptember 6, 1929. Serial No.' 390,832.

This invention relates to shelling machines and is designedprimarily for shelling peanuts. i f y y It is an object ofthe inventionto provide 5 a novel form of conca-ve .with which cooperates a cylinder having means thereon for cooperation with the shellsofA the peanuts whereby, during the Arotation ofthe cylinder, the peanuts will be kept .under a lateral agi- JU tation as well as an annular movement and will be caused not onlyto break upon the concave but alsoto roll one against the other and thereby facilitate the shellingaction. t

Another object is to simplify the construc- 1 5 tion of the body portion of the vmachine vand also of the cylinder so that thefseveral parts thereof can be formedreadily and easily ass-embled. i )Y y' A further object isto provide aconcave l $0 which will not become clogged the peanuts but will be self-clearing.

y With the vforegoing and View which will appear as .the description proceeds, the invention resides inthe-combination and arrangement ofparts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise' embodiment of thel invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope ..jfm of what is claimed Without departing'from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying 'drawings kthe prefer-red form ofthe invention `has been shown.

-l'n said drawings, f

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine, a portion of one ofthe doors being broken away.' v 1 Figure 2 is a top plan View.

thrmigh the machine. y

Figure 4 is a section on line 4--4, Figure 3. Figure 5 is a section through one end portion of the machine'on line 5 5, Figure 4.'

Figure 6 isa transverse section through one t* x Bolted to the outer other objects in f .y explained.

I isi folded as shown particularly in Figure 4 F igure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the slats of the cylinder, aportion of the 'l cylinder head being shown, lsaid view being mi v on an enlarged scale. Y

Figure 7 is an enlarged transversesection .through one end portion of. one of the slats ofthe cylinder and through the acent por- 5p `tion of .the head. Y y t yFigure '8 is a detail view of one of the heads ofthe concave.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference,` 1 andZ designate `oppositely disposed but duplicate heads of the casing each .formed preferably of a casting havingan upwardly proj ecting extension 3 formed with opposed diverging edges. An inwardlyextending annular iiange 4 isl formed at ftheno margin of each ofthe heajds 1 and Zand each i of these flanges cooperates with the extension 3 onits head to form a circular recess 5 have y 75 As' heretofore pointed out the heads 'are oppositely disposed* and are duplicates. The

upwardly diverging-.edges of the extensions 3 have bolted to them plates 1-1.l YEach plate land oneedge portion of each plate forms a depending apron 12 that extends downwardly between the upper portions of the heads 1 and2. .v y.

The other end portion of each plate is kbent laterally and curved downwardly asshown at 13 andis boltedtothe upperportions. of theheadslandQ. I y t The lower portions of the heads 1 and2 vare connected by transversely curved plat es 14A, w

bolted thereto. These plates are spaced apart to provide an outlet 15 and hingedly connected to each of the plates 14 is a guide plate 16. These guide plates can be adjusted relative to each other so as to control the delivery of shelled peanuts through the outlet 15.

To the upper edges of the plates 14 are hingedly connected arcuate doors 17 and when these doors are shut they rest against the peripheries of the heads and extend close to the plates 11. Any suitable means, such as buttons 18 or the like carried by plates 11 can be used for fastening the doors 17 in closed positions.

The concave of the machine is made up of segmental end and intermediate heads 19 each of which has inwardly extending tapered spacing fingers 2O forming a series defining a substantially circular opening 21. Seated in these heads 19 and spaced apart by the fingers 2() are fiat bars 22 the inner edges of which are flush with the inner ends of the fingers.

Bars 22 are adapted to be maintained in the spa-ces provided for them between lingers 2O by circular inwardly extending anges 28 formed on the end heads 19 and extending around the central openings 6 in these heads.

The ends of the heads 19 of the concave abut against the depending aprons 12 so that the upper strips or bars 22 cooperate with these aprons to form a continuation of the hopper produced by plates 11 andthe extensions 3.

As before stated the bearings indicated at 9 and 10 engage the end portions of a shaft. This shaft has been indicated at 24. To the shaft are secured the heads 25 of the cylinder that cooperates with the concave. In addition to the end heads there is provided an intermediate head 26 and fastened on these heads are parallel strips 27 formed of metal and arranged close together. On the outer surface of each strip are formed crossed ribs 28 constituting agitating means as hereinafter pointed out. The strips are fastened to the heads by any suitable means, such as countersunk bolts 29 seated therein as shown in Figure 7.

The periphery of thecylinder is concentric with the concave but is spaced therefrom a sufficient distance to permit theshells of peanuts to gravitate around the cylinder. Any

unbroken shells entering between the cylinder and the concave, however, will be cracked and broken because of the restricted space through which they must pass.

For the purpose of supporting the intermediate head 19 of the concave an arcuate member 29 is extended aroundr the bars 22 and abuts against the aprons 12. The intermediate head 19 is attached to these strips and the plates 11 and 14 are also attached to it.

In practice the shaft 24 is rotated by any the cylinder will cause the peanuts to be agitated longitudinally of the cylinder as vthey are carried therewith over the inner edges of the slats or bars 22.

As a result of the foregoing the peanuts will be caused to rub against each other and become crushed not only by pressure of one against the other but also because of pressure between the cylinder and the slats of the concave. Consequently the shells will be quickly brokenl up intosmall pieces which will fall freely through the spaces between' the slats or bars 22. These spaces are also large enough to allow the kernels of the nuts to pass freely. As the spaces diverge outwardly because the fingers 20 are tapered inwardly, vthere is no danger of any of the shells or kernels becoming wedged in the spaces. Instead, these'spaces'will be kept clear, and consequently, the broken shells and the hulled kernels will be able to flow without hindrance into the casing formed by the doors 17 and plates 11 and 14 and thence through the outlet 15.

What is claimed is:

1. A sheller including a casing having heads and connections between the heads, outer and inner concentric flanges on the heads, a concave including heads secured between the flanges, each head having inwardly extended tapered fingers, fi at slats seated between the fingers and lapping the inner flanges on the heads and adapted to be retained by said flanges between the fingers, and a cylinder mounted for rotation within the heads ofthe casing and partly surrounded by the concave.

2. A kshelling machine including standards, heads secured to the standards and having openings closed thereby, outer and inner concentric flanges on each head', connections between the heads cooperating therewith to provide a casing, a concave having heads seated between the flanges and formed with inwardly extending tapered lingers, slats seated between the fingers and diverging outwardly, said slats being retained in engagement with the fingers by the inner flanges on the heads of the casing, a hopper opening downwardly between the uppermost slats of the concave, and a cylinder mounted for rotation within the heads of the casing and extending longitudinally of but spaced from "the concave, said cylinder including head-s,

strips secured thereto, and outstanding crossed agitatin'g means carried by each strip.

3. In a shelling machine the combination With a concave including spaced slats, of a cylinder partly surrounded by the concave, and crossed outstanding ribs integral With the cylinder and disposed at acute angles to their planes of rotation. 1

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiXed my'signature.

BEN HILL ROBERTS. 

